The Casebook of Barnaby Adair Books in Order

The Casebook of Barnaby Adair combines historical romance with investigations in and around London's social world. It grows out of Stephanie Laurens's Cynster novels, bringing previously introduced characters into a series built around crimes and the people trying to solve them. Barnaby Adair's observation and deduction work alongside Inspector Basil Stokes's professional experience, while Penelope and Griselda are important members of the recurring group.

Where the Heart Leads gives that group its starting point. Penelope Ashford, the younger sister of Portia Cynster, directs an institution caring for children from London's streets. When boys begin disappearing, she seeks Barnaby's help. Her position gives her resources, but it has not insulated her from the harm done to people with far less security. She wants action, and is prepared to approach him directly to obtain it.

Barnaby is the third son of an earl and has already gained a reputation for solving serious crimes. Penelope's request offers a problem outside the familiar expectations of aristocratic courtship, while also bringing him into contact with a woman whose purpose and intelligence interest him. With Stokes involved, the investigation reaches into the East End and exposes dangers that cannot be understood from the comfort of a drawing room alone.

The crimes cross the boundaries that society prefers to preserve.

Later books give the investigators new cases and bring other relationships into focus. In The Masterful Mr. Montague, a man who manages the wealth of London's elite is approached by Violet Matcham on behalf of her employer, Lady Halstead. What begins as a concern about financial affairs becomes a murder investigation. Barnaby, Penelope, Stokes and Griselda help Montague and Violet pursue the truth while the danger draws closer, combining a new central romance with the continuing investigative circle.

The series' tone is historical romantic mystery, with clues, threats and developing relationships sharing the story. Wealth and respectable appearances can affect access to information, but neither guarantees honesty or safety. Starting with Where the Heart Leads establishes the recurring characters and the case that brings them together before moving to later investigations. Readers familiar with the Cynsters will recognize some connections, yet the Casebook has a distinct emphasis on what people conceal and how a group of different abilities can uncover it. The continuing investigators provide an anchor as cases change, while the people seeking their assistance give each book another personal reason to discover the truth. Expect romance to remain central alongside the work of solving a crime, rather than serving only as background to a detective puzzle.